My 65 - Nearly complete

[Alive65]

Hey guys, I'm new to this site, and new to forums all together, but my car is almost completed (after 4 long years), and figured I better join now in case if I have problems with my elky later on once I start driving it, I can't rely on dad forever

This was a father-son restoration (I am the son), It was bought for me my sophmore year in high school. I still remember the day dad told me to start stripping paint, It was an awful feeling because I knew it would get parked for who knows how long, but I am so excited with how it is turning out. We are finally starting to put the car back together. In about a month I should be driving it. This was no easy project by far, the quarters on this car were trash, my frame was cut for bigger wheels and only about a 1/4 in was left, I could grab the back half of the car make it dance LOL. I could go on and on and on, I have pictures of the whole build but not with me on this computer right now, I will try and post them tomorrow!

Here is a link to the pics I posted in an album on this site
http://www.elcaminocentral.com/album.php?u=21842

[The Dad]

Very nice! Time and patience is what it takes, and you used both apparently. Welcome to the site.

[BigAl 327]

Looking Good.

[carlfan]

Welcome from alabama.

[nomader]

looks great welcome from Wisconsin

[chevcamino]

Cool looking 65. Great job!!

[randycamino52]

Welcome from Oklahoma hope you have a lot of fun in your ride.

[LOCKJAW]

Great job! What's special is that you and your sad are a team. That is something to treasure. My dad hated anything with more power than a VW. My hotrodding and his dislike of it caused mucho friction.
Happy to see another 2nd gen Elky inboard.
Best of luck getting her finished.

[Alive65]

Thanks guys for all the welcomes!! All my exterior pieces have been painted as of about an hour ago today, Tomorrow all my remaing plastic interior pieces will be getting painted, Kind of nervous about painting plastics, but If it flakes off I guess I can always repaint them, ha. After that, the car gets a nice clean up and buff on the tailgate and hood, and I hit the street! It has been a long wait but I have been waiting for this for a long time. I am also interested in participating in NECOA events and car shows, I'll have to search for events near Arkansas, I'm looking forward to meet others who love their Elkys as much as I love mine

Originally Posted by LOCKJAW

Great job! What's special is that you and your sad are a team. That is something to treasure. My dad hated anything with more power than a VW. My hotrodding and his dislike of it caused mucho friction.
Happy to see another 2nd gen Elky inboard.
Best of luck getting her finished.

-- It hasn't been perfect, alot of foul tempers and stress, But I enjoy every moment I spend with him on it. For the most part our ideas are similar, he knows exactly what I want when I'm unsure of myself, and I know exactly what he needs to do to accompish something when his head is clouded. I would say im sad to finish the project and lose spending time with me however.. He has a 36 chevy he put off for my elky, so I have plenty of time to spend with the old man! He started me off at a very early age, I grew up around his prostreet project, and his other hopped up cars, but I didn't this I would get to have something like that until I was out of college, But he surprised me and I am very very grateful even if I don't show it as much as I should, You know how we dudes are.. all that mushy stuff is kinda

But anyways, I don't have the time to set up an image hosting profile and upload all my pictures because some things have come up and I can tell my girlfriend wants me to spend time with her tonight, but I figured I would at least tell some of the things done to it to make up for it.

Engine & powertrain - 383 stroker, biggg cam, dart racing heads, victor jr intake, edelbrock 750 carb, large tube headers out 3 in exhaust into flowmaster 50 series ( nice deep sound ), forged pistons, champion radiator rated for 750 horse ( works great, no overheating like before), probably about 450 horse and 500 ftlb at the motor ( I just like the sound, enough power for me to have fun but stay out of too much trouble ) 350 probuilt tranny, with awesome shiftkit, 373 gears, 12 bolt posi

Exterior mods - Shaved EVERYTHING , some may hate me for it, But i like shaved ha. Bedrails, mirrors, locks, door handles, window trim, bottom body moldings along with fender lip moldings, tailgate, The front and back glass trim were powdercoated too. I left the bumpers grill and tail lights alone, because that to me would be murder... haha. One piece glass, fiberglass hood ( I worked at a fiberglass comp. for 2 years, so the bottom of the hood is as smooth as the top ) Added about 2 inches in the back inner fenders because 1 they were cut off the car along with most of my bed and frame, and 2 the wheels were too big for stock clearence fixed my bed, the smugglers lid is hinged and on an electric actuator, The engine bay has been cleaned up, but I did not want a smooth firewall and my wiring looks clean.

Frame and undercarriage- This was not a frame off, The owner before us welded the car to the frame I guess you gotta do what you gotta do in racing, We did not have the time or enough room to take the body off the frame ( this was supposed to be done 2 years ago haha ) however I did crawl under it and take off paint on the whole frame along with some of the areas on the floor pans and the bottom of the car, innerfenders got a bed liner, 4 in suspension drop on the back, 2 in suspension drop along with a 2 in spindle drop on the front.

Interior and wiring - I wanted a mostly stock look, Dad helped me choose fawn interior, Tach on A-pillar ( kind of makes me sick to drill into it ) gauges under dash, led light to let me know when my electric fans come on, Kick panels with speaker.. Important--- Opgi said it couldn't be done, We took the old air grills out of my stock kick panels and used a soldering iron along with the leftover plastic from the hole cut behind my speaker insert, and put the air vents in the new kick panel, so it CAN be done ha. Um, custom auto sound stereo ( not too loud, not too quiet ) bazooka tube subwoofer, The old wiring harness got yanked out, ( car caught on fire twice while working on it!) and put in an american autowire harness in ( funny watching dad mess with that! lol)

I can't think of anything else to add, im getting pretty tired and my thoughts are turning cloudy lol, but pictures of the whole build will come. Thanks for the interest guys!

[Alive65]

Alright, Picture time!!

When we first got it











Fixing my bed problem..





I told dad, screw it.. I want my elky shaved! :P












That's it for now, Need to get ready to head out to the shop to paint those plastics! I'll post the rest tonight or tomorrow

[Stovebolter]

Yes it's been a very long road, but despite the frustrating times, I have had a blast working on this with you. Now.......are you ready to strip and sand blast my 36? Just kidding, it's time for you to enjoy your car....truck.....car.....truck

Dad

[Alive65]

The 36 will be eeezzzzzzzzz

[Alive65]

And quit making fun of my hermaphidite car!

[Alive65]

A few more photos -

























how the shaved bed trim and powdercoated glass trim turned out

[1972elcaminomartin]

Very nice..thats a beautiful elky you have...nice work.